2026 BALD EAGLE CREEK TROUT TOURNAMENT
2026 BALD EAGLE CREEK TROUT TOURNAMENT
Scheduled for Saturday April 11 & Sunday April 12 2026.
Welcome to the 28th Annual 2026 Bald Eagle Creek Trout Tournament.
To qualify for cash prizes, a tournament donation is required.
*see registration form for amount and deadlines*
VERY IMPORTANT FOR 2026!!
The Tournament Headquarters will again be inside the Port Matilda Fire Company at 101E. Plan Road, Port Matilda, PA 16807.
Attention Anglers!
- Again for 2026 - God Speed Property is posted and will not be stocked with tagged trout. Please do not trespass on this property.
- We will again have two sections of stocked water in 2026. The largest section runs from Hannah Meadow to upper limit of Delayed Harvest - “All Tackle” water located on the Wildlife for Everyone Property.
- The other section is the Village of Julian, PA. Maps are available upon request at the headquarters.
- Important (please note we will not be stocking within 150 yards of the PFBC specially regulated water do to the fact that you are not legally able to keep trout in that area right now)
Important Information
- Tagged Trout Check-in Procedures - All caught tagged trout must be brought back to headquarters/check-in stations(s) in "Live condition" as determined by tournament officials, in order to qualify for cash prizes. This includes the premeasured Big Trout Contest fish as well. Participants are permitted to bring in multiple tagged trout at one time at your own risk of them still being in “Live condition”. Because this process is considered a catch & keep and part of your daily creel limit, as defined by the PFBC, you may only turn in 5 tagged trout per day. Any other trout that you decide to keep that day would further reduce the number of tagged trout you could turn in for cash prizes so keep that in mind. Note: We will be providing ice bags if you would like to use them in bringing your live trout back to the check-in station(s) however buckets with or without aerators have worked well in the past for participants as well.
- Start Time - Entrants may begin fishing Saturday at 7:00 a.m. and must stop fishing by 7:00 p.m. with the check-in stations open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Entrants may begin fishing on Sunday at 7:00 a.m. and must stop fishing by 2:00 p.m. with the check-in station open from 7:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. No tagged trout will be accepted after the closing times.
- Stocking Procedures - For the 3rd year in a row, we are also adjusting our actual physical stocking procedures so that those volunteers who are actually physically stocking the tagged trout into the stream are not also participants in the tournament. Tournament participants may still help in the process with getting the fish to the non-participating volunteers along the stream, who will then actually be physically stocking the tagged trout in to the stream. The stocking activity will continue to be open for all participants to observe, however participants will not be permitted to do the actual stocking of the tagged trout in to the stream.
BACK AGAIN FOR 2026!!
40 Bonus Appreciation ($50 Value each) BECTT Tagged Trout – Will be stocked on Friday evening mixed in with the regular tagged trout to allow fishermen additional opportunity to catch these fish during the entire fishing time of tournament. We are the only trout tournament in PA that does this!
2025Tournament Info
- In 2025, we had a total of 622 Tagged Trout valued at nearly $14,380.
Total prize money available totaled over $16,500!
BIG TROUT CONTEST
All registered fisherman may also elect to participate in the Big Trout Contest. To be eligible, each participant must contribute an additional $10.00 prior to the start of the tournament. The qualified participant catching the largest tagged trout (2026 BECTT Tags) will not only receive the sponsored amount for the trout caught, but will also receive a Trophy and a large percentage of the funds collected for the Big Trout Contest. Additional place winners in the contest will receive cash awards as well. Larger tagged trout have been pre-measured for the Big Trout Contest. You must present the tagged trout in live condition at check-in station. The three place winners will be determined by the length of the tagged trout. The payout will total 50% of what is taken in for the contest. Total Big Trout payout for 2025 was $850
COMMUNITY TROUT
– The cost to participate is $2.00 per registered fisherman and you must enter this contest prior to the start of the tournament. One of the tagged trout will be randomly chosen to be the Community Trout. If the chosen tagged trout is caught, the fisherman will receive 100% of the money collected if he/she is participating in this contest. If the community trout is caught by someone not participating in this contest, the fisherman will receive the value of the tagged trout only. If the community trout is not caught or is caught by a non-participating fisherman, the tournament committee will keep one-half of the money and the other half will be rolled over to the next year. Nobody caught this trout in 2023, 2024 or 2025 so the pot will include $769 plus the 2026 funds!
Badge Information
2026 Registration and tag payout process will be inside the Port Matilda Fire Company.
You may pick up your badge at the Port Matilda Fire Company from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Friday April 10, 2026 or any time after 4:00 a.m. on Saturday April 11, 2026
Please remember you must pick up your badge before participating in the Tournament.
We will not be mailing the badges to you.
Camping Information
FREE Primitive Camping Is Back in 2026!!!
Camping will be permitted in the Port Matilda Community Park this year! Park gate will open noon on Friday before the event. You will also need to sign a camping rules and waiver form before setting up. These forms are available at our headquarters.
See our webs
FREE Primitive Camping Is Back in 2026!!!
Camping will be permitted in the Port Matilda Community Park this year! Park gate will open noon on Friday before the event. You will also need to sign a camping rules and waiver form before setting up. These forms are available at our headquarters.
See our website for camping updates!
CAMPING ALONG THE STREAM WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.
The stream will be patrolled beginning Friday and continuing through the end of the tournament.
Food Service
Menu to be posted soon!!
The Port Matilda Fire Company will again be our food service vendor for this year's tournament.
They plan to have food and drink for sale starting Friday afternoon. They will post their complete operating schedule at the event.
Fishing Supplies
Fishing Supplies
Aquatic Imitations will be our bait, tackle & fly vendor this year and will be on hand at times to be posted on Friday & Saturday, and possibly Sunday. (814) 309-3474.
Also https://aquaticimitations.com
Their physical store is located at
311 US R22
Hollidaysburg, PA 16601
AREA MAPS
Other Important Information
- Each participant must be properly registered , must display official tournament registration button, and if over 15 years of age, must possess a valid PA State Fishing License. All PA Fish & Boat Commission Rules Apply. All PA Fish & Boat Commission Rules Apply.
- Fishermen under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian, and/or have written permission to participate in this event.
- The lower downstream limit of the upper section of stream butts up against a PFBC Delayed Harvest “All-Tackle” catch & release water. See PFBC regs. Fishing is permitted however we will not be stocking tagged trout in this area. Also Very Important is the note that no trout may be caught and removed from this area due to delayed harvest regulations.
- All fish must be legally and fairly caught. No lifting, snagging, or net line permissible.
- Only fish caught by registered participants are eligible for prizes.
- Entrants may begin fishing Saturday at 7:00 a.m. and must stop fishing by 7:00 p.m. with the check-in stations open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Entrants may begin fishing on Sunday at 7:00 a.m. and must stop fishing by 2:00 p.m. with the check-in station open from 7:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. No tagged fish will be accepted after the closing times.
- Any individual found in violation of the rules before or during the event will be disqualified.
- Respect property owner’s rights. Stay off posted lands and clean up after yourselves.
- Again for 2026 -God Speed Property is posted and will not be stocked with tagged trout. Please do not trespass on this property.
- All prize money must be claimed prior to the end of the tournament.
- Organizers and volunteers of this event are eligible to participate. If you believe this is not acceptable, you can choose to not participate in this event.
Questions
If you have any questions pertaining to the tournament or your visit to Port Matilda